Best Dark Beer?

[zwclones51]

Busch Light

[00clone]

To steal a phrase from the brew master at August-Schell, dark is not a flavor. Guinness and Boston Lager could not be more disparate. Might as well ask which is your favorite wet beer.

I was thinking everything except the last sentence, although it's a good allegory.

Honestly, I think 'dark' beers are the best gateway to getting people to break the walls of new beers. I was the same way many moons ago, Ooooh, I don't like dark beers. I started learning about beer, started trying things, because I was willing to. Got into homebrewing. I knew enough that when a friend said the same thing...don't like dark beers...I asked, "What don't you like about it, describe it, because whatever it is, is not related to color"...he explained (translated into beer terminology)...that he didn't like the dark roast malts...the porters/stouts...yes, this is a Busch Light guy, so I handed him a black lager, which blew his mind. But, because he's the engineery type guy (like I am), he listened to the explanation and is more willing to try new beers with an understanding of what he's going to get. Prior to that, he knew light was Busch, Bud, Lite, etc., a little heavier was Fat Tire (which was already pushing his boundaries), Sam Adams...and then he had Guinness, and the others.

If you can get a Busch Light guy to drink a black lager, you are on the way.

It's funny really...beer is like people...there's some ill informed people who don't think they like the darker varieties...but really once you understand it, color has very little to do with much as far as preferences go, unless you buy into the stereotypes.

OK...I linked beer with racism..............I'm going to go ahead and say that maybe it's time for me to hit the showers then the bed.

[azepp]

Best dark is a Dark IPA home brew. You can find the recipie at Northern Brewer.

Confluence in DSM has a really good dark IPA.

[rudiskilz]

naaa their Hopburst is amazing. I could drink that all day long. Also a big fan of their Coffee Stout. Coming out with an aged imperial stout that was aged in Templeton Rye Barrels... Can't wait for that.

[cyson]

Sammy Smith's Oatmeal Stout is pretty good, as is the Dogfish raisin beer if you want a little bit of a different flavor. I've heard nothing but good things about the Moose Drool but haven't had any.

This in regard to Sammy Smith. Favorite is Sammy Smith Taddy Porter.

[dmclone]

Another one that I don't think you can get any longer in Iowa but I really like is Left Hand Milk Stout.

[colbycheese]

Another one that I don't think you can get any longer in Iowa but I really like is Left Hand Milk Stout.

That triggered my memory of another great one. Duck Rabbit Milk Stout is probably the most popular beer brewed locally here in North Carolina. I think they distribute outside of NC too.


In regards to "Black IPAs", "Dark IPAs", etc., there is a debate among the brewing community as to what that style should be called, because a "Black India Pale Ale" is an oxymoron, and it's a style that was developed in Vermont. Therefore that name will only confuse customers since it isn't a pale ale, and the style wasn't shipped to India during the colonial period. The general direction people are going for a name for the style is American Black Ale... just in case people were interested. It's probably my favorite dark beer style, because 1) it's hoppy, and 2) it doesn't have any of the astringent flavors that dark roast malts have. If you closed your eyes and tried it, you wouldn't know it was a dark beer.

[DistrictCyclone]

In regards to "Black IPAs", "Dark IPAs", etc., there is a debate among the brewing community as to what that style should be called, because a "Black India Pale Ale" is an oxymoron, and it's a style that was developed in Vermont. Therefore that name will only confuse customers since it isn't a pale ale, and the style wasn't shipped to India during the colonial period. The general direction people are going for a name for the style is American Black Ale... just in case people were interested. It's probably my favorite dark beer style, because 1) it's hoppy, and 2) it doesn't have any of the astringent flavors that dark roast malts have. If you closed your eyes and tried it, you wouldn't know it was a dark beer.

Hmmm...howabout "Black Hops"? A play on the whole Black Ops thing. Too cheesy?

[State43]

You want a good IPA, get this: Nebraska Brewing Company - Hopgod

[mfelske]

I will second Founder's Breakfast Stout. I drink a lot of beers from smaller Wisconsin breweries that probably don't get distribution outside of the state. O'so Night Train (they call it an Imperial Porter) and Central Water's Satin Solstice Imperial Stout are both excellent.

[isukendall]

O'Dell Brewing Company just released Lugene Double Chocolate Milk Stout. It is fabulous.

[Clonefan94]

If we are going so far as to consider Sam Adams Bsoton Lager and Newcastle Brown dark beers, it's really tough for me to give an answer to this. I mean you are talking a huge gap between Boston Lager and say a Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. I mean that's like asking what is the best pie and throwing a moon pie in there as an option.

I really don't consider a beer dark, until we get into the porter, black IPa or Stout range. Dark enough to not get any light through the glass. So, of those, I'm a big fan of Baltic Porters. I don't have a specific favorite, although Rogue makes a pretty decent one. I like the idea of a lagered porter, it gives the flavors time to meld and the lagering gives it a nice crispness. Plus, they usually come in at about 7 -8% ABV, so that's a big bonus as well.

[ianoconnor]

[BKLYNCyclone]

Hmmm...howabout "Black Hops"? A play on the whole Black Ops thing. Too cheesy?

There is a brooklyn brewery big bottle called black ops. It's an imperial stout and pretty good.

[BKLYNCyclone]

Try this if you can get your hands on it...